Tony Williamson - Still Light of the Evening (2011)

One of the Chicago Tribune’s Top 10 Bluegrass CDs of 2001. They say “Look no further…for a lesson on precisely what makes brother duets so unique. The two men—Tony and Gary—sing as one while maintaining their own individual sounds, and make it seem easy. Brother Tony also is among the finest mandolinists alive, and the instrumental passages, featuring an excellent band assembled for this session, dazzle without ever lapsing into flashiness.” A bluegrass-loving friend of mine hooked me up with this North Carolina mandolin legend. The moment the brothers leaned into the mike, I understood why they’ve been winning national awards for 40 years. Their all-star banjo-fiddle-guitar-bass band includes multiple Grammy winners, two world bluegrass champions and a Bluegrass Hall of Honor member. Because this band’s spent decades honing a perfect acoustic blend without electronics, the sound came out so good even I am knocked out.